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mushrooms

If you are like me and enjoy (or rather crave) the euphoric satisfaction of confidently identifying a plant, mushroom, or any other organism for that matter, then I’m sure that you can relate and offer your sympathy for when the exact opposite happens. Sometimes, due to no fault of your own, your seemingly careful and thorough research leads you further and further astray, coaxing you instead through a labyrinth of overwhelmingly complicated and outdated taxonomic literature that few sane amateur mycologists wish to trouble themselves with. Allow me to introduce you to Boletus subvelutipes. (more…)

Continuing on the theme of long overdue posts (referring to my previous post discussing hemlock reishi, Ganoderma tsugae), my surprise encounter in late May of 2016 with an extensive patch of Agaricus bitorquis was probably one of the most fruitful foraging adventures of that whole year. I was nearly in hysterics after discovering these hefty beasts discretely heaving themselves up and through mounds of wood chips. I couldn’t keep it together for quite a while thereafter, as I still have a problem with getting way too excited about these sorts of things. (more…)

Although it is most certainly not June outside (as much as I would like for it to be) I couldn’t help but write a post about the first time that I encountered Ganoderma tsugae, a strikingly beautiful and highly medicinal mushroom back in the hot, humid deciduous forests of southern Ontario back in 2015. This is exactly what happens when you take so many photos of plants and fungi on your excursions during the summer and can’t get to them all in season. (more…)

Happy 2017 folks! I hope you all enjoyed as much of 2016 as you possibly could; I know for certain that it was quite the year for me. Lots of changes were lingering underfoot that managed to push their way to the surface. I have been extraordinarily busy the last 9 months, as is evident due to the lack of posts that I have been writing, although I’ll have you know that I would have much preferred to have had the time to do so.(more…)

There are so many different ways to grow oyster mushrooms it’s almost but not quite unbelievable, so do yourself a favor and please don’t for an instant think that this is the only way, or necessarily the best way, to go about the process. Oyster mushrooms (Basidiomycete fungi of the genus Pleurotus) are an incredibly adaptable and resilient bunch that can perform well under a comparatively wide range of growing conditions that would be completely inappropriate for other varieties of edible and medicinal mushrooms.(more…)